Morning star
by Ally of Darkness
Summary: "We are Morgensterns...the children of Lucifer, the most beautiful of all God's angels. We are so much lovelier when we fall." Seraphina fell long ago. Oblivious to her true bloodline, she fights to carve a name for herself. A name not bound in blood and war. Adopted as a babe, by a family equally twisted as her own, all she wants is peace. Now her past threatens to burn it again.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Present day, Idris

Three years, three long years since my father died and yet I'm still stuck with a bunch of head strong idiots who know nothing of warfare. I swear to the gods that half these people wouldn't even survive two minutes in an actual battle. It'd be a bloodbath! Well it _is_ a bloodbath. Nephilim are dropping like flies with every attack. Our situation is far from ideal and yet here we are discussing a load of rubbish. Like this for example. "Shadowhunters don't fight shadowhunters." Quite clearly they do my dear fellow, I mentally sighed. This is hopeless! Being the third war amongst our own in three years, you would have thought they'd have gotten over this by now. "It is blasphemy."

"It is blasphemy," Jia agreed. "Blasphemy is Sebastian Morgenstern's creed-"

"Blasphemy?" I arched a brow, finally having enough. "Blasphemy or not it is happening and blasphemy or not it does not matter. People are dying consul. Actually losing their lives because we have no proper strategy to protect them. Instead of discussing blasphemy surely we should be discussing an actual plan, not wasting our time getting our heads around religious sacrilege."

"I can assure you that we're doing all we can Winterflood." Penthallow stated, sneering at me.

"Ayla is right though consul." Nasreen agreed, nodding in my direction. I sent her a thankful smile, grateful that she stood up for me however subtly. "People are dying and here we sit in Idris doing nothing. We need to act and we need to act soon. Are we looking into changing the endarkened back? If he was able to turn Nephilim into monsters, we ought to be able to find a way back." She stated, thinking of her brother. Pity 'ought to' doesn't always translate to being able to…I mused softly. Despite myself I couldn't help but admire the genius of Morgenstern's plan. It was genius. Pure genius. That was the problem. Not only did this rid him of major threats, but it caused widespread panic as our kind scrambled to make sense of it. Every attack that he makes, only serves to make him stronger and us weaker. The longer we wait, the lower our chances of survival become.

"We are trying to find a cure, the silent brothers are examining an endarkened found injured at the Berlin site right now." Lightwood protested. It was as if he thought that what the clave was doing was enough. It wasn't. Clearly it wasn't. All the clave has done is call for an evacuation, and all that did was to create one large target for Morgenstern to strike. It's incredibly concerning actually given that they haven't actually added extra security around the boarders. Surely they realised that the endarkened could penetrate the wards here!

"What was his name?" Another asked. "He must have had a name before he was turned."

"Amalric Kriegsmesser," Lightwood said after a moment's hesitation, still answering the young women despite his reluctance. "His family has already been told."

 _The warlocks of the Spiral Labyrinth are also working on a cure._ The whispered omnidirectional voice of a silent brother echoed in the room. Ayla recognised Brother Zachariah standing with his hands folded near the dais. Beside him was Helen Blackthorn, dressed in white mourning clothes, looking anxious.

"They're warlocks," Said someone else in a dismissive tone. I gaped. What was that supposed to mean? I thought we'd managed to move past the racism. "Surely they won't do better than our own silent brothers." I glanced around to see no open looks of disgust. Was anyone actually listening to this chap?

"Can't Kreigsmesser be interrogated?" Interrupted a tall woman with white hair. "Perhaps he knows Sebastian's next move or even a manner of curing his condition-"

 _Almalric Kriegsmesser is barely conscious, and besides, he is a servant of the infernal cup,_ said brother Zachariah. _The infernal cup controls him completely. He has no will of his own and therefore no will to break._ No will to break. What a strange turn of phrase...

"Is it true that Sebastian Morgenstern is invulnerable now? That he can't be killed?" Invulnerable does not mean immortal sir and vice versa. Anything under heaven can be killed; you just need to find their Achilles heel. If he's invulnerable to weapons then it must be through magic, magic that can be severed. We don't need to panic.

Murmuring broke out again. Penthallow had to raise her voice again to gain their attention causing me to wince at her rookie mistake. Wrong move consul. A leader can't afford to show her weakness under normal circumstances, for one to show it in war consul it was as good as surrender. Realisation struck me causing me to pale. We don't even stand a chance do we? "As I said, there were no Nephilim survivors from the first of the attacks. But the last attack was on the institute in Los Angeles, and six survived. Six children." I focused on her words… tuning out the rest. "Helen Blackthorn…." She couldn't be serious. Surely they couldn't sink so low as to do-

No. Please no! They can't be s-like little ducklings, one by one, the Blackthorn children followed the Blackthorn girl. My heart went out to them even before I glanced at their expressions at their expressions. Bewildered and terrified, all except Helen. Rightfully so, hers was alight with fury and grief, while the rest of the counsel sat stoic. She knew. All I had to do was look at her expression to know the heinous crime the clave were about commit. They were children who'd just been through hell and they were about to do this?

"Julian Blackthorn, step forward please." Her courtesy made me sick. The ease in which she did this left me horrified, questioning my choice all those years ago. He swallowed, handing a little boy he'd been holding to his older sister. Scouring the space for another, his eyes darted around the dais. Just as he'd begun to slump when another figure darted out onto the stage. A girl, head bowed, hair tangled rushed to stand beside Helen, and with her presence Julian seemed to relax, his terrified expression easing slightly.

"Julian would you do something for us? Would you take up the mortal sword?" Penthallow asked in a gentle voice.

"You cannot be serious." I hissed, raising my voice. "Are you insinuating a child, a boy of twelve, would have any reason to lie about this?"

"It is tradition Miss Winterflood, do you really want to question-" Jia narrowed her eyes darkly towards mine, before I cut her off.

"Tradition?" I gaped. "Tradition states that blade is only to be used in a trial. To call this a trial is insinuating that you are blaming him for the murders rather than Morgenstern. If our people have sunk so low as to torture a child for a crime he clearly did not commit what makes us better than Morgenstern?" I asked softly.

"This is not a concept you grasp Winterflood. It is clear from your father-" Jia argued.

"Is that so?" I laughed. "I grasp the concept with perfect clarity consul, clarity you clearly lack if you believe this is right. Your argument is naught if you have to resort back to questioning my own upbringing in order to gain control. My upbringing holds no effect on the arguments I speak and for you to use it as a counter argument makes you look weak. Do you really want to bring up my father of all people now Penthallow? We can remind the clave here about your dalliances with him if you'd like." A small smile lit my lips.

"My dalliances here are irrelevant." She hissed.

"And as is my heritage consul." I retorted calmly. "Perhaps we should move back onto the matter at hand concerning the mortal sword. For it to be used in any circumstance the truth must be in in question so tell me this; what reason would children have to lie about this?"

"Fear of retribution." She retorted.

"Of that we should all be afraid Penthallow but if we have to torture a child to stand a chance at victory then we have already lost." I turned to Julian. "To win this war, we need to know what we're facing, and as terrible as that night was, are you willing to tell us all you can remember?" I asked softly.

"Yes." He said, eyes meeting mine.

"Winterflood-" Jia practically growled.

"What?" I asked innocently, hiding my smirk. Turning away from the consul, I addressed the boy seriously. "When did you realise you were under attack? What happened?"

"We saw a flash of light, like lightning. Katerina and Mark left us and went downstairs, telling us to stay in the training room." He winced. "We could hear the sounds of fighting. We split up-Emma went to get Drusilla and Octavian, and I went to the office to call the clave with Livia and Tiberius. We had to sneak past the main entrance to get there, and when we did, I saw him."

"Morgenstern?" I asked softly, already knowing the answer.

He nodded. "I knew he was a shadowhunter, but not. He was wearing a red cloak, covered in runes."

"Those runes…were they familiar to you?" I asked.

"No but there was something wrong with them." Demonic then…if he could create runes alike his sister only aligned to their kind, we need to be wary. "They made me feel sick even to look at them, not like the runes in the Grey Book. He pushed his hood back- he had white hair almost like yours, so I thought he was old at first." Eyes widening at his own words, he winced apologetically. "Not that you look old."

I chuckled. "Better than being called a child. For the record though I'm seventeen." I winked playfully, before turning to a more sombre tone. "Can you continue?"

"He was holding a sword, silver with a pattern of black stars on the blade and the handle. He took it out and he-" His breath skittered.

"Hush." I eased. "It's ok. You don't have to continue now if it is too painful. You can tell us later if necessary." Ignoring the outrage on Penthallow's face, my eyes focused on his face. It was torn in pain. Braver men have broken under less, for this boy to have managed to get this far showed his strength. He'll be a great warrior one day. "You've survived what many full grown men have not Julian. If you want to return later, I'm sure no one would judge you for it. You deserve to rest. Do this in your own time. Don't let anyone tell you differently." At my words a sense of determination lit his features, almost causing me to smile.

"It's ok, I can continue." He took a deep breath. "He held it to my father's throat; there were others with him, wearing red gear too. Some wore black cloaks, others wore gear only red. Not once had I seen red gear before. There was a woman holding a cup that looked like the mortal cup, she made my father drink out of it. He fell down and screamed. I could hear my brother screaming too."

"Which brother?" Robert Lightwood asked, almost causing me to sneer. As if interruptions would help!

"Does it matter?" I narrowed my eyes sharply. As if that was the detail that was important right now!

"Mark." He shifted, uneasy at Lightwood's interruption. "I saw them start to move into the entryway and mark turned around and shouted for us to run upstairs and get out. I fell on the top step, and when I look down, they were swarming all over him-" He gagged slightly. "And my father, he was standing up and his eyes were black too and he started-"

"Easy." I murmured, seeing his horrified expression. "My offer remains; if you want out I will fight every single man and woman in here who disagrees." I stated calmly.

"I stabbed Sebastian." The blond girl blurted. "I stabbed him and he pulled out the dagger and laughed. He told me it was a shame that I wouldn't live to tell the clave that Lilith had strengthened him all measure that perhaps only glorious could end his life. That it was a pity for us that we had no more favours to ask of heaven, and none of the puny instruments of war they forge in their adamant citadel could harm him now. How can we fight someone who can't die?" She demanded.

"If he was invulnerable, he wouldn't have needed such a large army in order to start his war. There is more than one way to win, and far more ways to bring revenge upon those who hurt you. Burying him six feet under the ground, locked in a coffin, might work." I smirked. "What do you think? I personally think it's better than death with far more recompense." She chuckled slightly.

"Don't be ridiculous Winterflood!" Lightwood scoffed. "We are not barbarians!"

"Are you sure about that Inquisitor? Were you not about to torture a twelve year old boy merely minutes ago?" I sneered.

"Because children exaggerate." He sneered. "Are you even sure she didn't simply miss the heart?"

"Emma doesn't miss." Julian narrowed his eyes, offence clear in his voice.

"I know where the heart is." Emma said, stepping back from Julian and casting a look of anger- more anger and hurt- at the consul and the inquisitor. Not towards me and for that part of me was thankful. "But I don't think you do." Her voice rose as she spun and ran off the dais, practically elbowing her way past Robert. A redheaded teenager ran, clattering up the wooden steps in pursuit of her. A woman with similar features to the teen shot me a dark look, unnerving me slightly. It wasn't the glare, I was far too used to them for them to bother me; it was the strange feeling of déjà vu. Something about her seemed eerily familiar, something I couldn't quite place. I felt like I knew her, not that I could remember from where.

"How dare you!" I spat, anger racing through me, slapping Robert. "Heart or no, you are too bloody scared to accept the truth! Heart or no, stabbing him in the chest, where major veins and arteries are located, should at the very least have caused severe injury which would have caused him to weaken visibly not matter how good an actor he is. The fact it did not, gives the same result! What right did you have to stand and insult her that way? Children are no fools, something that you as a father should realise."

"Don't you dare question my parenting skills Winterflood! You were the one to speak of burying someone alive which is enough to damage any child's psyche." He spat. "What do you know of having a father?"

"Struck a nerve then have I Inquisitor?" I sneered. "As for doing 'damage', Morgenstern's attack would have done worse and as would have your proposed course of action. Given that it actually made her chuckle, I'd say it had the correct effect. It reassured her, which is more than your blind panic has been doing." I retorted.

"You still have no right coming in here questioning both the consul and inquisitor." Lightwood spat.

"So I have a right to question one of you alone then?" I tilted my head.

"You know what I meant Winterflood. What right do you have to question your betters?" He hissed.

"My betters? Seriously? I might be far from a saint Lightwood, but the day my 'betters' are those who torture children, is a cold day in hell. I don't question my 'betters', I question the actions of sadists, clearly obsessed with power games. Are you telling me that your positions make you exempt from any form of moral code?" I sneered.

"You are simply a girl of nineteen!" He sneered. "You know nothing!"

"I know nothing? Is that so?" I laughed. "You're sending mixed messages Lightwood; first I'm a monster, now I'm a child? Get your story straight sir." I sneered.

"I didn't call you a monster." He protested.

"You implied it, we both know you did." I smirked calmly. "As for being a teenager, it was the teenage Valentine and his circle who lead his rebellion against the clave, just as it was the teenagers Clarissa and Jonathon who defeated him whilst the majority here were in deliberation on whether or not to fight and it is the teenage Jonathon Morgenstern who fights us now. Your old age makes you compliant and compliance makes you weak Lightwood."

"Oh really?" He sneered. "What does a weapon like you know of emotions and justice? Of moral code?"

"There you go again sir; making assumptions on things you know nothing about Lightwood. A weapon am I? If I'm a weapon why do I unnerve you so?" I smirked, causing him to step back sharply. "Weapons are neutral after all; it's the warrior that holds an allegiance not the blade, meaning a weapon alone is no threat. Any idiot knows that Inquisitor."

"Now whose avoiding questions Winterflood? Scared to answer?" He retorted.

"I may not be a paragon of virtue Lightwood but I was not the one who wanted to torture a twelve year old boy and nor was I the one who willingly joined the circle as a teen. Your actions today would have harmed an innocent victim eventually turning him and his family against the clave. Children remember sir but then you'd know all about that though wouldn't you? Injustice is fought with injustice Lightwood. I don't bloody care if you're the bloody king of Sian Inquisitor. It does not make you an exception to the rules. Your actions have consequences and if you're not careful your actions could set us up for yet another war in the future. That is of course if we even manage to survive this one under your leadership." My voice was soft, before I turned to leave the hall.

 _Three years ago, Alicante_

 _A petite young teen smirked, keeping to the shadows as she chased her prey. Alicante. City of fools…she mused. Hearing the pulse of the music, her smirk turned into a grin. Here was where those with the sight dwelled, those who held a deep-rooted hatred for the Nephilim for reasons unknown to her. Never mind their reasoning, she shrugged. If they were foolish enough to follow her father in his damned crusade, they deserved all that was coming to them. Why they were in Alicante specifically was rather easy, not only was the town close to the shadowhunter citadel, but being a tourist town it was easy to mask your scent particularly when the idiots insisted on using glamours._

 _Cigarette smoke entered her lungs as she entered the club without so much as a double take from the guards. Despite her small frame, she was always mistaken for older than her age. It was the way she held herself she mused or quite possibly the fact she was so small she was easy to miss. Her red irises focused on her prey. There she stood, chuckling with a bloke near the bar._

 _A girl. Maybe sixteen…_

 _Her age roughly._

 _Ayla Briggs._

 _Seraphina had chosen her, carefully and specifically. Chosen her the way one might choose an expensive and costume-tailored frock._

 _She strolled over to her taking her time and the girl's measure. She had seen the photographs, of course she had, but people always looked different in person. Ayla was small- the exact same height as Seraphina herself which was quite a feat for anyone older than ten, and with the same slender build. Her clothes looked like they would fit Sera perfectly. Her hair was dark-Seraphina had already dyed her own to match it. Her pale locks were too easy to spot and if her father had caught wind of a figure with white blond hair, he'd immediately investigate. It was also short too, she'd have to cut it after the kill. Even better in Sera's mind. Too close a likeness would have drawn her father's attention with equal vigour once she infiltrated the camp. Besides she'd always wanted to try out a pixie cut. Her vibrant green eye would be the problem, but one easily fixed with the use of contacts. She was laughing. Despite herself, Sera winced, her resolve weakening slightly._

 _No._

 _She had to do this. For her brother. She couldn't back out now, not when she was so close. She'd spent too long hiding, too long plotting, and witnessed too many innocents die for her to back out now. What was one life in the grand scheme of things? Besides the woman had chosen her path the second she wanted to become an acolyte of Sera's father. She was a murderer, wanted to slaughter hundreds of innocents. She might not deserve to die, but she deserved to die more than those she wanted to kill Sera decided. It was the only way._

 _Sera came up to the bar, leaning against it as calmly she could. Turning her head, she allowed the other girl to recognise she could she her. "Hello." She knew the girl was British born and bred, it was in her file. Another reason she'd picked her. Sera had never been good at accents. It was safer to go with her own regional one-less risk of being caught – and given that both girls had been raised in Northamptonshire, it was safe to assume that any slight dialect changes wouldn't be picked up on._

 _"Hello." Ayla replied, cautiously. Her eyes were narrowed, looking startled to have been addressed by this strange girl before her. Sera could almost see her thought process, the panic in her eyes as she scanned Sera's figure for runes._

 _"I'll show you mine if you show me yours." Sera suggested, smiling._

 _Ayla's hand tightened around her drink. "I don't…"_

 _Sera grinned wide, turning her right wrist to show the tree inked permanently there. Ayla breathed in relief, deepening the guilt forming in Sera's gut. Ayla's beam of delight made it worse. It was if the girl had found comradeship with her. "Are you here for the revolution meeting too?" She asked professionally, as if she was still in contact with her father._

 _"I am. I'm Ayla. Ayla Briggs by the way. It's wonderful to finally see a girl my own age if you know what I mean." She babbled mindlessly. Sera winced mentally; this girl really didn't know what she was in for did she? All filled with childish hope and naïve beliefs. She truly believed she was helping to save the world._

 _"I know exactly what you mean." She forced a grin. "Must be my lucky day."_

 _One thing that Seraphina was certain of was that she'd have no problem answering to an assumed name. She'd never felt particularly attached to the name Seraphina, perhaps because it had been given to her by her monster of a father or perhaps because it had belonged to her perfect traitor of a great aunt too...she wasn't quite sure which reason was correct. Probably a mixture of both, she concluded. She'd always been compared to the woman, a woman she'd never known and she hated it. Apparently she'd been the greatest warrior of her time. An expectation her father always thrust upon her. What made the pressure worse was she secretly admired the woman, not for her battle skills but because of her courage. She'd had the courage to kill her own father, her own flesh and blood because it was the right thing to do._

 _If she lived up to any part of Seraphina's legacy, it was that she strived to do._

 _It was why she had to do this, to commit this terrible atrocity. It was in the hope that she could avenge them, avenge all who have died or will die because of her father's twisted desires. It was the only way. "Hey, I heard that there's a demon on the prowl in the street next to this one, and where there's demons there's shadowhunters. Want to go for it?" Ayla grinned._

 _"Sounds wonderful." Sera grinned weakly, chugging down the rest of her drink._

 _They stood shoulder-to-shoulder, like the sister warriors. The thought made Sera cringe. Siblings…if only Hade was alive. He'd know what to do. It was too easy: all she'd had to do was show up, and here was Ayla Briggs like a lamb pushing its throat on a blade. Who trusted other people like that? Wanted to be their friend so easily? Part of Sera cursed the girl's nativity. Perhaps if she wasn't this innocent it wouldn't be so hard._

 _"What's your family like?" Ayla asked. "Do they have the sight too?"_

 _"Yes." Sera grimaced. "Not that they'd appreciate what I'm doing here." It was true, her father wouldn't approve of the fact that Sera wanted to assassinate him. As for her brothers, she'd never known Axel enough to know what he'd want and Hade…Hade now lay dead._

 _"They'll understand eventually." Ayla rubbed Sera's shoulder in sympathy. Don't touch me, Sera wanted to scream. She didn't of course. Couldn't. She couldn't afford to ruin this now. "When we succeed and the world is a better place for it, they'll be thanking us." Thanking us…Sera mused. Yes, after today we will be one and the same Ayla Briggs. I won't forget your sacrifice. I will wear your name to honour you even after the deed is done, and will make the world a better place in your name. In more ways than one…she internally winced._

 _Sera's father had never mentioned her mother, not once, though she knew she didn't share one with her brothers. Their mother had taken Axel when he was a baby, leaving Hade behind. Sera had never been able to forgive her for that. Not once. How could she have abandoned her own flesh and blood without a fight? Not that she blamed Axel. Hade had of course but Sera had never adopted that view. She did however hate the women, Jia Penthallow, with a passion._

 _It was clear the hatred was mutual._

 _"Behind you." Sera breathed in Ayla's ear. "A demon. I can hear the footsteps of her hunter." Swift as an eagle, Ayla swerved, eyes locked with the beast. "Let's give the hunter a little help shall we?" Sera grinned before letting out a piercing shriek._

 _Perfect. Sera grinned as the huntress appeared, aiming an arrow at the creature, not even flinching as the creature bubbled away. "Are you alight?" The girl panted, walking closer, before paling at the sight of Ayla's tattoo._

 _"Surprised?" Ayla grinned, unsheathing a blade from her boot._

 _"No…you're…" The shadowhunter stammered, panic weakening her muscles as she stepped back._

 _"Heard of our work have you?" Like a demon, Ayla smirked, lodging the blade into the huntress' shoulder with a well-aimed throw, pinning her to the wall. "Good. Then you'll know you won't survive the-"_

 _Ayla looked so surprised when she died; Sera's expression just remained stoic even as Ayla's blood bubbled across her fingers. With a sharp tug, Sera unsheathed the blade from the dying girl, wiping the blood on her jeans, ignoring the thump of Ayla's body as it hit the floor. She blinked slightly. Her first kill and it had felt so easy. Like breathing. "Are you alright?" She directed the question to the hunter._

 _"You…you…" She stuttered. She was just a girl Sera noted, barely older than Sera herself. Stepping forward over the dead girl's body, she walked towards the wall the girl was pinned. Her hand clasped around the dagger, she pulled, wincing at the girl's groan._

 _"Are you alright?" Sera repeated._

 _"I'm fine." The hunter mumbled. "You saved me."_

 _"I'm Ayla." Sera grinned. "Ayla Briggs and you are?"_

 _"Sophia, Sophia Mooreland." The shadowhuntress smiled._

 **A.N. Hi! This is my first Mortal Instruments fic, I hope you'll enjoy it despite my bad grammar. I know my writing is far from perfect and there are bound to be a ton of errors embedded in it so all grammar Nazis reading this please be kind. Please review! I'd love to know your thoughts. :D**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 _Fourteen years ago, basement of Winterflood Manor_

 _"Papa please!" A small child pleaded, tears dripping down her cheeks. "Please it was a mistake! Hade didn't mean to!"_

 _"He must learn girl."_ _Michael Winterflood hissed, bringing the whip down. The loud crack of the weapon caused her to flinch as her brother let out a pained moan. The kiss of the leather left his skin red and swollen, cuts already coated in dried blood._

 _"He has learnt papa, please!" She begged._

 _"Sera don't!" Her brother groaned again, fighting for his sister's wellbeing even when bruised and bloody. His desire for her safety over ruling his own as it always did. It had to. He had to protect her._

 _"No!" Her naïve defiance made Haden wince. "You're my brother!" She fought back with a vigour equal to her brother's, with an equal desire to protect even at the cost of herself. Even aged four she knew the consequence of questioning her father, and was more than willing to face them. Haden loathed that fact. Hated it. Just as Sera hated him for doing the same. Their first instinct was to protect. Always. It was all they'd ever known._

 _"And you're my sister! I won't have father punish you for defending me!" He hissed. "Pease Sera just go. You don't have to watch this! Go little moon."_

 _"Listen to your brother Seraphina." Richard Winterflood ordered. "It is not your place to interfere! Actually no. On second thoughts…" The Winterflood patriarch grinned. "You should watch, see the punishment of defiance my sweet daughter."_

 _"No!" Haden spat, not even flinching as Winterflood cracked the whip once more._

 _"You dare question me boy?" He roared, a roar the siblings had become long accustomed too._

 _"Punishment of defiance? You said that this was a punishment of defiance papa."_ _Sera whimpered, quickly intercepting the brunt of her father's rage. "Whose papa? Mine or his?" Winterflood tilted his head at the intelligent response of his four year old daughter. Rather than finding fury at her defiance, he was curious. When did this small child become so intelligent? It was an intellectual response, exceptional. Not even Haden had been quite like this when he was four! How had he not noticed this? He didn't like it, not in the slightest._

 _"Father don't!" Haden pleaded. "She doesn't know what she's saying!"_

 _"Yes she does. Don't defend her boy." Winterflood spat, finally laying down the whip. "Do you know why he's being punished Seraphina?" He asked slowly. "Do you know what he's done?"_

 _"He defended me." She stammered, backing into a wall, panicking. "He was defending me! He didn't mean to-"_

 _"Didn't mean to? We are Winterfloods Seraphina. We are controlled. We do not act like mindless brutes, and when we attack we make sure there are no witnesses. I honestly don't care that he stopped that man from kidnapping you. That man could have cut you up into tiny pieces and I wouldn't have given a damn girl." He stepped forward, causing the child to flinch. "He revealed our existence and our involvement with you. His actions threaten this whole family do you understand?" He spat. "His damned mother is already alive running around with his darling imbecile of a twin with knowledge of our existence! That man could already be plotting against us girl." Good, Haden grunted in his head, not daring to say it aloud. Provided that weird blonde bloke stayed well away from his sister, he honestly couldn't care less anymore._

 _Tilting her head up, her doe eyes staring into his, she spoke softly. "Because of me papa, not him. If someone must be punished, let it be me." Haden cursed again. Did his sister have no self preservation? Damn it!_

 _"Sera! Don't you dare!" The four year old trembled at her brother's words. "Father she doesn't know what she's saying please!"_

 _"Yes she does Haden. She knows every word she speaks. Don't underestimate your sister boy. Her loyalty to you is rather commendable." Winterflood narrowed his eyes. "How about this sweet children? I'll yield to both of you to show you just how much of a caring father I am."_

 _"What do you mean father?" Haden visibly paled while his sister, unaware of the implications, was smiling like the heavens had bestowed her a gift._

 _"Guards!" Winterflood called._

 _Hearing the echoing footsteps of his father's men, Haden trembled slightly. "Father?"_

 _"Your sister here wants to be punished…." He said with a smile. "While you don't want her whipped son. Well you both have your wishes. I'm going to punish her by forcing her to watch me whip you, leaving her helpless. That should teach you both. After this neither of you will make the same mistake then will you? Her for presuming she can intervene, for presuming her actions will do anything and teach her to simply stand and watch. You to give your loyalty to me and me alone, not your blasted sister!"_

 _Screams came from the basement that night, from both siblings. Seraphina fought, to no avail, to break free of the harsh grip of her guards and help her brother. Not that she knew how. Not that she cared. She just had to. Haden did the same with the cool unyielding metal of the chains that held him in place, not to escape the bite of the leather but to wrap his arms around his sobbing sister and tell her everything was alright. That he was safe. Safe and sound. It was in those moments that both decided their father was a monster. A monster who they wanted nothing more than to burn alive, where they would delight in his screams and bath in his ashes. They wanted to be free._

Present day, Idris

"We shouldn't be here." I grimaced, gesturing around. "Well scratch that, I'm the one who shouldn't be here."

"Seraphina Winterflood don't be an idiot." Sophia ordered sharply. I flinched at the sir name; it stands for everything I was, and everything I despise. To be called that reminded me of him, that no matter how hard I fought that I would always be nothing more than the daughter of that mad man.

"Don't call me that." I recoiled, still throwing my clothes into a suitcase. "Anyone else but not you. You know how much I hate my father." I couldn't remain here. I'd rather take my chances with Morgenstern than stay here.

"Do you think I care? If that's what it takes to get you to realise that you belong here as much as the next shadowhunter so be it Ayla." Soph spat.

"You do know that leaving would do both the clave and myself a large favour. They don't have to worry about me making a monkey out of them and I don't have to put up with their constant idiocy and scorn. It's a win, win Soph." I grinned.

"You simply need to stop arguing with the bloody inquisitor and consul and you'd get along... amicably." I couldn't help but snort at Soph's reply.

"Amicably?" I arched a brow.

"Just cease your arguments Ayla, and you'll be perfectly won't even have to speak to them. Just avoid them." Soph stated simply, as if it was that easy. "Come on Ayla we both know that you don't need to question _every_ word they say."

"Perhaps I would if they didn't have their heads shoved up their arses! 'Cease my arguments and I'll be perfectly fine'? Didn't you hear about what they wanted to do? Being fine is the least of my priorities when they were about to harm a child." I hissed. "They wanted to question children on the mortal sword. Not adults, not teenagers but children! The people here are insane."

"They're not insane, they're scared Ayla. They don't know what to do or who to turn to." She eased, trying to cool my temper. "They weren't thinking straight, fear does that. They were just following what they knew, what they understood "

"Does that make it better Soph?" I gaped. "If anything it makes it worse. If they cannot cope with a minor attack, how will they cope with the actual war? How many atrocities will be committed because they don't know what to do?'" I sneered. "Those children could have been mentally scarred for life because of their carelessness. There's a reason why we aren't supposed to use it on anyone younger than sixteen."

"The mortal sword isn't that bad Ayla, yes it's painful and even worse for children-"

"You don't know what it's like Soph. They never questioned you on that damned thing after the blood war. I was two years older than that boy and it still left scars! It was agony. There's a reason why marks are only bestowed at the age of twelve Sophia, and it exactly the same reason why to question a child on that blade is phycopathic. Angel blood spends the majority of your childhood altering your human DNA, a process that on average is completed on around their sixteenth year. Like with the mortal cup, the mortal cup does not work well with humans Sophia. It drives them mad all the same. The consul should know this! To use it on a child his age because children are prone to 'exaggerate' is bloody wrong!" I spat.

"What they went through with Morgenstern would have been worse though. That would have done far more mental scarring than that." I rolled my eyes at her pitiful defence, going to my wardrobe to fetch more clothes. "Besides you said that equilibrium was reached on average at the age of sixteen, which implies that sometimes it occurs earlier."

"With diluted lines yes, with them it can even occur at the age of five, but it is different for every child. It is not a risk you should take. Ever. Yes with the Blackthorns they've had a history with marrying humans and Downworlders, but it isn't worth the risk. You saw how young some of those children were, if they were going to question Julian they would have questioned the rest." My eyes sparked. "That's not even factoring in that they've just been through hell! Is this the message we should send? That we should torture our veterans for a truth they would have told without?"

"Would leaving Idris make it any better Ayla? If you hadn't been there, if you hadn't intervened, those children would have been forced to go through all that. Think of it that way." Soph attempted to reason.

"Oh I am and that is exactly why I'm bloody terrified. These people should not be in power." I stated. "You know I'm right Soph." I pleaded. "They are no better than my father. Gods it makes me want to scream!" It did. It was always moments like this that my 'demon', as my brother always used to call to it, wanted to lash out and kill. It begged for blood, for me to let it out and burn villages, burn towns and burn all those who stood in its way. Always. Like an incessant mantra, it pleaded for death and destruction. I never listened. Seeing my father give into his impulse, into his own demons…I could never allow myself to give into mine. Battle was the only time I did, and even then I restrict it.

Soph sighed. "You've got that look in your eye again."

"Which one?" I asked, faking obliviousness.

"The look you get where you want to burn down the world, laughing as you watch the flames." She stated.

"More like these people." I gritted my teeth to stop myself screaming in fury. "How can you stand them?"

She laughed. "Practice." She grinned. "Come on, not all of them are that bad!" She pleaded. "You've heard of Jace Lightwood and Clarissa Fairchild, the heroes of the mortal war who managed to unite the clave with Downworlders in the last battle. Surely they must be of some interest to you Ayla. If not them than what of Isabelle and Alec Lightwood? Surely their actions in the last war must at least garner your grudging respect."

"Grudging yes." I admitted. "But even they did not speak out earlier."

"Nor did I Ayla remember?" She pointed out. "There is only so long you can argue with the clave before they'll turn after you accusing you of being a traitor. It was what happened to Valentine after all before he started the uprising."

"When they are the only people to have succeeded in besting Morgenstern, that threat is null and void at this point. The clave are too paranoid about Sebastian to risk losing their support. If they'd spoken out, far kinder words would have been spoken than the ones spoken to me. To them I'm far worse than the endarkened." I shrugged. "You know I'm right Soph. If I, a Winterflood, can speak out, then anyone sitting there could have done so without fear."

"Exactly you're a Winterflood! We both know if they could get rid of you they would. They can't touch you. There's nothing they can do that they haven't already tried and failed to. No one else is as used to their scorn nor as well equipped to deal with it." She argued.

"Herondale grew up with Valentine; I doubt he has any problems when it comes to it." I retorted.

"Valentine wasn't Michael Ayla, and we both know the only reasons that your skills are as honed as they are is because it was the only way for you to survive. Judging from Herondale, I doubt he grew up in an environment as harsh as yours. He was taught. You had to teach yourself, rely on yourself. Its completely different." Sophia argued.

"Well if your going by technicalities, Valentine was a Michael. A Michael Wayland to be specific." I grinned.

"You cannot blame them and you know it." Soph rolled her eyes. "You would have done the exact same thing seven years ago."

"Seven years ago I was ten!" I pointed out. "I was nothing more than a frightened little girl back then, praying for a savior. These are not children, they are full grown men responsible for fighting demons! They are people who pride themselves on being the saviors, not the child whimpering in a corner. You would hope they'd have courage."

"Most of them remain in Idris Ayla and you know it, they never go near the actual fighting." Soph reasoned.

"Then they shouldn't be put in charge of winning a war." I spat.

"No they shouldn't be, they really shouldn't be." Realisation dawned on her features as she paled. "Gods..."

"Is everything alright? I heard yelling." A concern Axel, Sophia's fiancé, crept through the doorway. His tall figure cast a large shadow over the carpet, darkening the majority of the room. His ebony hair was slightly windswept as if he'd run here. Probably had...Ayla mused. Her brother always said he could hear her arguing from miles away. Hade too, he was even able to quote me word for word though I swear he must have had a trick of some sort-

"Ayla here wants to go and risk Morgenstern." Sophia growled.

"Are you insane?" He gaped. "Ayla Winterflood have you severely banged your head in the last twenty four hours? He's annihilating every shadowhunter his army comes across, and as much training as you've had, you won't stand a chance. Not against people with such a vastly superior strength to your own."

"What chance do we stand here Axe?" I asked calmly. "Half of these people have never stepped foot into a real battle, having been shielded here in Idris all their lives, and they're in control of this war! The majority of people here are also bigoted imbeciles who hate Downworlders so reinforcement will come too late. They also seem to have forgotten that our wards allow the endarkened through and have next to no protection on the walls so when Morgenstern eventually marches, we're dead."

"I have no idea." He smiled weakly. "Please enlighten me. You make some rather difficult points to argue against."

Sophia shuddered. "Look we can't just run Ayla. I don't care what we do, but we can't run. We didn't run in the blood war and we won't run now. We can't leave these people to die, and outside these walls we're as good as dead anyway."

"If we stay here, we will burn with the rest of them at Morgenstern's hand because of these people." I pleaded.

"If we leave, we're letting all these people die Ayla. How many innocent children will die because you ran Ayla Winterflood? Hate the clave if you must, but if you run you're letting children die." Sophia hissed.

"'If we leave'? We might have been responsible for the outcome of the Blood war, but here? We have no allies, no army, and no way in hell of getting them to listen. We're not a miracle cure Soph. Our leaving will make absolutely no difference to them, apart from cause a slight bit of panic given my past. It won't even make the slightest change in the outcome." I stated. "We are three people."

"And it only took one to defeat your father." She spat. "That one being you. Aged fourteen, you managed to inspire an army to fight for you, aged fourteen you managed to create a spy network, aged fourteen you managed to bring down your father singlehandedly. If anyone can make a difference Ayla, it's you."

"Unlike my father, Morgenstern has a competent army. My father was winning through tactics alone, and the lack of competence among his men was what allowed me to do it. Here the circumstances are completely different." I retorted. "Not only does Morgenstern know how to use a brain, but he also has an army with skill enough that tactics don't matter."

"If your father's army was as incompetent as you claim it to be, we both know the clave at that time would have been able to defeat them alone without your subtle manipulations." Soph hissed.

"Ayla if you were nothing, you wouldn't have been able to stop them today." Axel murmured softly, putting a hand on my shoulder. "I heard what you did; everyone's speaking of it. You caused quite the stir."

"Good." My eyes flamed.

"Little moon, you haven't heard what they're saying have you?" Little moon…my brother created the nickname saying my hair was like moonlight. Ayla coincidentally means 'halo of light around the moon' too, but I adopted that name long after. "They're grateful you did what you did. You gained a lot of respect in that meeting. Even if the consul and inquisitor refuse to listen to you, if the rest of the Nephilim side with you then they'll have no choice but to listen." Axel stated.

"No choice? They hold the power even if they don't hold a brain. They pull the power rank every single time someone questions them and its going to destroy us. The majority of the Nephilim here don't even hold a seat on the war counsel. It doesn't matter what they believe if they have no control over the decisions being made in that room." I stated. "Their tactics will end us long before anyone starts to question them."

"They can't be that bad sis." He sighed.

"Against Morgenstern? Yes they are. The institutes are being picked off one by one and what do they do? They evacuate everyone to Idris where Morgenstern can slaughter us in one fail swoop. The only thing currently stopping him is the fact his siblings are here. As soon as that barrier goes, we're going to burn." I hissed.

"People panic Ayla." Sophia winced.

"Panic will get us all killed." Axel grimaced. "Which is why little moon over here needs to come up with a counter."

I gaped. "Excuse me?"

"You heard." He grinned. "Outsmart them both little sister. While yes Morgenstern might have a brain, he's preoccupied with his family. He won't expect a threat to come from elsewhere and, provided you don't raise his attention, you'll be a blind spot. As for the clave…like you said it's currently made up of complete imbeciles, so it won't be too hard to beat them. It's you specialty after all. Go behind their back and save them. Who cares if they don't listen little moon? Do it anyway." He grinned.

"Are you both insane?" Soph spat. "Even Ayla's plan of runaway was better thought out than this!"

"Well little moon, what's your first impulse?" Axel arched an eyebrow, ignoring his irate fiancé.

"We need an army." I stated. "To stand a chance here we need to have warriors strong enough to hold their own against the darkened, without that I doubt tactics would make much difference. Without an army, the second Morgenstern attacks, we'll be wiped out. We won't have time to play tactics and strategy."

"And how do we get that army?" He smirked.

"I'm thinking we need to fix the mortal cup." I winced.

"Fix it?" Sophia blinked. "The mortal cup isn't broken, it's just lost potency over the years till the point it's no longer safe."

"I don't think so Soph." I shook my head. "Please just hear me out for a second! If you look at it historically the survival rate has constantly been shifting, altering, particularly after wars. If it has been constantly been rising and falling, then it cannot simply have lost its potency. It's in the book of red. I think there's something missing concerning it. While we know it's made of adamas, it was not forged by a silent sister. When the angel rose, from the lake, he was holding the cup. It existed before. I think it's original purpose might alter things."

"Original purpose? Ayla it's a cup, cups are designed to be drank from." She rolled her eyes.

"Then why is it engraved with runes of unknown meaning? Not a single one is in the grey book. Originally before the angel emerged, there were many religious links to certain chalices and cups, religious links that contained intricate rituals." I asked softly.

"Wait. Slow down. The mortal cups decorated yes, but it doesn't have runes." She blinked. "It doesn't."

"It does at the base." I smirked. "Why would a mere drinking cup be inscribed with so many runes, spiralled like writing unless it was important? When runes alter the purpose and properties of a metal, to have so many, generally implies that the cup has hidden properties especially when the endarkened's has none and serves the same purpose."

"They have no free will Ayla, maybe it serves that purpose." Sophia argued.

"So many runes?" I arched a brow.

"You know it's a possibility." She rolled her eyes.

"Yes, but I think we should look into it further." I stated. "We can easily do that without endangering lives. No one will drink from it until we're certain, and when we are we use it on an endarkened. If they are truly equal and opposite in the transformation, it should be able to reverse the damage if it's being used properly. Either way learning more about how it works could give us more information on the endarkened, that knowledge could be crucial in reversing the process."

"Slow down little sister. You mentioned you thought it was being misused, care to elaborate little moon?" Axel smirked.

"Meaning that the Nephilim have gradually been abandoning parts of their heritage across time, adopting the religions of other cultures. Looking at the idea of religion again, originally theirs was one and the same only as time's gone by has it gradually diversified to the point that none of us even know what that religion was. So many rituals have completely disappeared since the time of Jonathon Shadowhunter and if one involved the cup…" I trailed off.

"So you want us to dig through history to affectively discover what is affecting it so badly?" Axel arched a brow.

"Pretty much." I shrugged. "It's worth a shot at least brother. Whether or not we can change an army, we might be able to turn the endarkened back. The fact shadowhunters can be turned, suggests that the pair are similar enough to be interchangeable."

"We need to make sure that neither Morgenstern of the clave catch on to us." He stated. "That could be a problem given we need to kidnap the cup."

"If we're going to kidnap the cup then we're going to need to forge a replica." I winced. "Meaning we need to get someone to commission a replica. Again involving more people- wait." I blinked. "If we get Clarissa and Jace onside then… We get Clarissa to design a rune that can glamour an ordinary cup to look like the mortal cup. We then swap the cups. We then try and get her to help translate the runes. That'd be a good start."

"More than a good start. Just avoid being seen with them too much or the clave's paranoia will set in. Then low and behold they'll accuse you of spying for Morgenstern." I just rolled my eyes at Axel's grin. "If you can get an idea of the type of ritual involved, then it'll be far easier to track down or find a substitute."

"Given their family's history with the cup, do either of you think that's going to work?" Sophia rolled her eyes.

"Why not?" Axel asked. "Come on love, open your mind." He pleaded.

"This is crazy. Both of you." Her eyes narrowed darkly. "Bloody Winterfloods."

I chuckled. "It might be difficult and a gamble even but at least it's a plan. Let's face it, the clave as they are will lose. You've heard the accounts of the endarkened. They're faster, stronger and smarter than us. We need this."

"How is this going to be better? The endarkened will still be stronger." She stated.

"Not necessarily right big brother?" I grinned.

"Accounts say that the original shadowhunters were less than a hundred in their numbers and yet managed to defeat a bloodthirsty demon army with estimated numbers of over a thousand. It suggests that the original shadowhunters were stronger, which makes sense when you look at the strength of the endarkened." Axel returned my grin.

"You're talking nonsense, both of you." She huffed.

"Which is the perfect type of sense." I laughed. "You wanted us to stay didn't you?"

"Not as psychopaths locked up in prison." Her eyes narrowed. "If you're caught-"

"We'll escape." Axel grinned. "The first thing our father taught us was to pick locks Soph. Besides Soph, we're Winterfloods; we won't be caught."

"Right now you're sounding like Valentine." She hissed.

"No, right now that's the clave." I smirked. "Didn't you hear them? They were the ones openly dismissing the ability of the warlocks to cure the endarkened, and then went on to try and torture children. All we want to do is study the cup to try and find a way to get it to work. Neither of us will use it unless we're certain that the drinker is safe. If we fail, at least we've tried. You were the one who didn't want us to abandon everyone here. Now we're not." I shrugged innocently.

"I did not mean that I wanted you to abandon your freedom!" Sophia spat.

"We're not." My brother grinned. "We're Winterfloods Soph; the only prison that can hold us is death."

"You're over confident. The pair of you. For heaven's sake Axel, you weren't even raised as a Winterflood, and Ayla already has the clave on her back." She retorted. "I don't want my parabati and my fiancé in prison because you've over estimated yourselves."

"We're not." I shrugged. "We know fully well there's a large possibility of getting caught, we're just prepared for it. Right now everyone's too preoccupied with Morgenstern for defences to be on high alert, and even if they were we'd be perfectly fine."

"Even if that's true, I don't want you on the run either." She spat.

"Look Clarissa and Jace will understand the need; they've seen the endarkened, and Sebastian both and will understand how woefully unprepared the clave are for them. If we are to survive we need a renaissance my dove." Axe grinned. "They saw my sister, they saw how she defied the clave to do what was right, and they'll trust her intentions even if they are wary of mine."

"I wouldn't exactly go that far." I stated. "They're probably more wary of me given that they've had their fair share of betrayals. The first step to gain someone's trust is to act the hero, which in their eyes was what I was doing. If anything they'll be suspicious. We just need to convince them of our intentions. Starting by actually getting evidence of my theory would probably help. That can easily be sorted with a trip to the library and-"

"Actually it's probably better that I go, if they catch you looking up dates correlating with changes in the mortal cup then they'll keep even more of an eye on the pair of you than before." Soph interrupted sharply. "If they notice the cup's missing, they'll immediately chuck the pair of you in jail, using that as evidence."

"I was actually going to say I might have some of my research with me here which could save time." I shrugged.

"You've researched this?" Soph gaped.

"Only to a minor degree." I shrugged. "What can I say? I was curious given the farce over it during the mortal war. I might have only given it a small amount of time when it came to it, but it could be enough to convince the pair that our investigation actually holds some worth. If we let them look after it when we're not studying it, that also might convince them of our sincerity." I added.

"You're playing them." Her eyes narrowed.

"No, not playing. Manipulating. Life isn't a game where you can simply slide a pawn into place and forge a queen, it is far more complex. People aren't pieces that obey you're every order; they plan, they scheme and cheat just as their supposed 'players' do. If it were that easy our kind would have been conquered long ago. Every win in the last three wars has been through betrayal of some kind, betrayal they never anticipated because they played people like pawns… if we are to win we cannot fall into that trap." I stated.

"You're making it sound like we're waging war on the clave." Soph hissed.

"We're not?" Axe arched a brow.

Elbowing my brother, I replied. "A political war yes, given that we're going behind their backs, but the main war here is against Morgenstern. If we are to survive against him, we cannot afford to leave it to them. Their tactics will kill us Sophia. Was it not you who told us to do something?"

"Yes…" She grimaced. "…but you speak too negatively of them."

"Should I speak well of they who would have harmed a child?" I retorted.

"Stop trying to incorporate Shakespeare into your daily life Ayla." She rolled her eyes. "You also know that wasn't what I meant. They won the mortal war after all."

"Shakespeare?" Axel blinked. "What Shakespeare?"

"Romeo and Juliet, when Juliet finds out Romeo's killed her cousin." I sighed wearily. "It's 'should I speak ill of he that is my husband?' or something along those lines. Honest to the Gods brother, you need to learn your Shakespeare. Sometimes it's hard to believe you're actually my brother." Actually he wasn't, but he didn't exactly know that. "As for the mortal war Soph, we both know it wasn't because of their leadership. If I remember correctly one of their leaders supported Valentine in his quest to eradicate the Downworlders…anyway that's beside the point. We won that war because of Jace Herondale and Clarissa Morgenstern, not because of the clave."

"You know I don't know what disturbs me most about you two…" Soph sighed. "…whether it's because you're most alive when you're plotting or because you manage to persuade me to go along with them." She grimaced.

"Probably a mixture of both." I chirped in.

"You're in?" Axel grinned.

"Of course I'm in; I'm bloody damage control." She stated. "Like I trust either one of you when you're put together; you're like a pair of madmen. Instead being of my level headed fiancé, and my Brainiac of a parabati, you both start transforming into a pair of dangerous criminals. If you get caught, I swear to the Gods that I'll kill the pair of you!"

"Actually that was Ayla and Hade, the whole madman thing." Axel grinned. "Trust me; you haven't seen madmen unless you've seen Ayla and Hade. It was if _they_ were the twins rather than Hade and I."

"It's true." I added helpfully. "We were practically joined at the hip. Axe and I hardly saw each other." True enough, it was once in a blue moon that I saw him. His mother hated letting her precious golden boy around us, any of us. Not just our father. She believed us to be corrupt, warped, twisted and not once did she believe that she was the one to blame. She could have fought for custody for both of the twins rather than abandoning one and saving the other. She could have given evidence of our father's crimes, getting him imprisoned so that he wouldn't have even been able to build the army he used to attack the clave. She could have done so much more and yet she views herself a saint. I loath her more than I can say.

Soph groaned. "Honest to God, sometimes it's hard to believe that I'm only a year older than you Ayla."

"Good thing Hade's not here then isn't it?" I grinned, dismissing my thoughts of what ifs as quickly as they came and focused on the present. No longer was I a frightened little girl longing for a saviour that never came. Now I know things clearly; sometimes the only saviour you can count on is yourself. Only you can carve your own future. You alone, and I was determined to fight tooth and nail over mine.

 **A.N: Hey! Sorry this update didn't have much of Clary and Jace, but there's definitely a lot of interaction between them in the next chapter. I hope to upload it within the next week. I hope this wasn't too much of a disappointment, but I needed it to introduce some characters who are vital to the plot so I hope its ok. As always please review, and I hope you liked it.**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

 _Three years ago, Alicante_

 _"_ _Are you a shadowhunter too?" Sophia gaped, studying the girl._

 _"_ _No." Sera smirked; crouching down to pull Ayla's reading glasses from her pocket, mentally reminding herself to replace the glass in them later. The last thing she wanted was to end up damaging her own sight in the process of this…or end up damaging any other form of body part given her inability to see through Ayla's specs. She was clumsy enough as it was without adding anything else to the mix._

 _"_ _Then how? Why?" She stammered. "You saved my life; you killed a member of the order."_

 _"_ _Not everyone with the sight is a member you know. We aren't born with a loathing of your kind; it's more to do with their arrogance actually. Being called a mundane is very insulting I'll have you know." Sera stated. "I wasn't going to let you die for something you couldn't control. You were trying to save her, save us. It was wrong to kill you for it."_

 _"_ _You know of the order?" Sophia asked._

 _"_ _Of course I do." Sera shrugged, showing Sophia her wrist. "You'd hope so, given the fact that I bare their symbol on my wrist. You'd hope I'd know what that meant given all the repercussions should a shadowhunter catch me. I'd be rather foolish if I didn't."_

 _"_ _If you're one of them tell me why." She demanded._

 _"_ _Why I'm one of them or why I saved your life?" Sera smirked. "They're both rather different questions, with rather different answers you see. While I'd love to answer both, it's probably best we dispose of the body sooner rather than later before an innocent bystander wanders down here and discovers us standing over it." Sera winced, before brushing away her twinge of guilt as she motioned the corpse. Averting her gaze, she cleared her head, trying to forget the scarlet pool quickly staining the tarmac. "I'd rather not have the Spanish police chasing me."_

 _"_ _My life. Why did you save my life? You hate our kind. You wouldn't have joined the order if you didn't." Sophia stated. Rather smart assumption, Sera mused, wrong but well-reasoned. Most had joined of their own free will, had she grown up under different circumstances, under a different father, joining wouldn't have been a choice she'd have chosen to partake in. Then again…her childhood had taught her much and had been a major contributing factor in shaping her very being. Perhaps in another life, she'd be nothing more a stranger to herself. Knowing though, knowing what she did she'd have never have joined if she'd have had another option._

 _"_ _Because it was the right thing to do and, for the record, no I don't hate your kind. I merely hate the arrogant asses you harbour and the prejudices that run rife among them. For me to fall prey to similar prejudices would only serve to make me a hypocrite no?" Sera smirked._

 _"_ _Then why do you stand with them?" Sophia's eyes narrowed as she hurried to keep pace with the strange girl. "They want to wipe out my kind. How could you want what they want if you believe that?"_

 _"_ _Who says I do? A symbol might imply everything but fundamentally it means nothing hence why it is so useful in the course of action that I intend to partake." Sera grinned. As much as she loathed the ink, it was a vital part securing her safety in the road she was travelling down. Without it, she wouldn't even stand a chance of getting past her father's security. Being able to pass it alive and unnoticed would prove vital in her upcoming plans._

 _"_ _Knowing what that symbol implies, why on earth would you be wearing it?" Sophia hissed._

 _"_ _Because it means that people are bound to make the same mistake that you did. If you're planning to infiltrate the ranks of an organisation, you generally get further when they believe you're one of them." Sera smirked, deciding to trust the huntress._

 _"_ _You're infiltrating them?" Sophia's soft brown eyes widened. "You're a mundane."_

 _"_ _No, I said I wasn't a shadowhunter Sophia. I never said I wasn't a Nephilim, nor did I say that I wasn't a downworlder." Sera smirked._

 _"_ _I know full well you're no downworlder." Sophia stated._

 _Sera chuckled. "If you think Downworlders are so easy to spot, check out the case of Tessa Grey, but no. You are right when you say I'm no Downworlder. Again though, giving you the heads up, that term can be offensive to certain branches among them too. Anyway, angelic blood runs through my veins as it does yours Sophia Moore."_

 _"_ _What's the difference?" Sophia asked. "Last time I checked there wasn't one."_

 _"_ _Shadowhunters hunt demons Sophia, as in the term suggests. The Nephilim are just a species; the term isn't a job description. All you have to do is look at those who leave the clave to live a mundane life, the reason the clave can stake a claim on their children is because the blood of the angel still runs through their veins." Sera recited from memory. "Nephilim aren't bound to hunt shadows Sophia, they can walk among humans, dance among the downworld even should they wish. They aren't bound to a job they never choose. They can be whatever they want to be. Being a Shadowhunter is a job after all, not a matter of genetics."_

 _"_ _You're telling me that an untrained girl is trying to infiltrate one of the most dangerous organisations alive?" Sophia arched a brow. "Ayla, I know I've only just met you but you seriously must have a death wish."_

 _"_ _Aren't all shadowhunters the same when they go around chasing demons?" Sera laughed. "I said I hadn't been trained as a shadowhunter, not that I hadn't been trained Sophia. Don't assume anything. If I hadn't of had training do you think I'd be carrying a weapon like this around with me?" She arched a brow gesturing to her weapon._

 _"_ _You don't have runes; how do you expect to be able to stand a chance in battle?" Sophia gaped. "It's lunacy."_

 _"_ _Then going into this one with runes must be complete and utter lunacy then." She grinned helpfully. "I won't be able to infiltrate the order if I am covered in doodles. I've been trained to fight without them. With all due respect, I don't need them. I've never needed them. If we all needed runes, the order wouldn't be as powerful as they are."_

 _"_ _You seriously want to go all undercover agent on this? You said it yourself, you're not a shadowhunter, what are you going to do if this turns sour and you're discovered? In fact never mind that! Who're you even going to report your findings to?" Sophia hissed._

 _"_ _I don't want to go all undercover agent Sophia, I am going to be an undercover agent on this." Sera grinned. Deliberately ignoring the last question, she hadn't thought that far ahead yet. She didn't want to. First she had to get in. She'd even leak it to the clave subtly if she was short of options later, but for now she was content of focusing on being able to infiltrate them in the first place._

 _"_ _Then you're going to be a rubbish one, you've told me everything!" Sophia gaped._

 _"_ _Because I'm an unusually good judge of character and something tells me I can trust you. When you killed the demon, you're first reaction was to ask if we were ok, to ask about our well being rather than panic at being seen by a mundane. Even now as I've been telling you my plan, you're first instinct is to worry about my safety, the safety of a girl you've never even met." Sera smiled._

 _"_ _A girl who saved my life!" Sophia retorted._

 _"_ _And before?" Sera arched a brow._

 _"_ _Duty." Sophia lied._

 _"_ _No, not duty. I've seen those of you doing your duty and they didn't act how you did. They're emotionless, too efficient. Not you. That was genuine emotion on your face, emotion that couldn't be faked. It was just as genuine as your terror. No cockiness, no arrogance, just worry. It is more than a job to you, more than a duty, you're doing it because it's right, just as I'm doing what I must to bring the order down from the inside. You have a good heart Sophia Mooreland. I am more than certain I can trust you." Sera stated._

 _"_ _How do you know I'm not faking it then?" Sophia hissed._

 _"_ _Because of the way you reacted to this." Sera grinned._

 _"_ _What do you mean?" Sophia gaped._

 _"_ _Even now you're trying to get me to trust you less because you're worried I trust to easy, worried that going into this like that will get me killed." Sera stated. "I had to be sure. If I'd been wrong, I'd have pierced you in the heart already shadowhunter for seeing too much."_

 _"_ _Don't lie." Sophia chastised._

 _"_ _Who says I'm lying?" Sera arched a brow._

 _"_ _Because you've a good heart Ayla Briggs." Sophia parroted grinning. "And you're smart. If I was going to compromise you, you'd have simply have knocked me out and used my stele to erase my memory. You're Nephilim after all, whether or not you wear runes, the stele would still bow to your will Ayla." Sera's gut twisted uncomfortably at the girl's blind faith. Sera hadn't been lying. She would have killed the girl if she'd been a liability. Memory runes are too easily recognised for the use of one to be full proof, and honestly she hadn't even considered the possibility in her mind. Bright as she was, she was barely a teenager basically embarking on a suicide mission and she knew it. She just couldn't let him get away with it, get away with what he'd done. He'd overstepped the mark and now he was going to pay. "If I can't sway your mind in this I'm going to help you."_

 _"_ _It's too risky." Sera rushed out, panicking. She couldn't do that to this girl. Couldn't. Sera didn't have a choice, her life was already ruined, there was nothing for her to salvage but this girl…no. She wouldn't wreck her life before it had even truly begun._

 _"_ _So it's too risky for me and not for you?" Sophia retorted._

 _"_ _You don't know the order like I do." Sera's eyes were wide and pleading._

 _"_ _I know them well enough Ayla. I've seen what they do. I know who've they've killed. They slaughtered my grandfather last month Ayla. I need revenge just as badly as you do." Sophia's voice was firm._

 _"_ _How did you know?" Sera stammered, alarmed by Sophia's bought of perceptiveness. "How did you know I'm doing this for revenge?"_

 _"_ _Because of your determination, your conviction. You don't care if you live or die do you? The risks don't matter to you, not in the slightest. All you care for is avenging the one you've lost. Who was it?" Sophia asked softly._

 _"_ _My brother." Sera answered honestly, surprising herself. "Michael Winterflood murdered my brother. Right before my eyes when I was twelve years of age."_

 _"_ _So then you're name's not Ayla Briggs is it?" Sophia murmured._

 _"_ _No." Sera replied, as soft as a dove._

 _"_ _It's a spy name isn't it? One you're using to infiltrate the order. If he'd murdered your brother before your eyes, he must have seen your face, known your name. I'm guessing you've dyed it." Sophia observed._

 _"_ _Yes." Sera replied, soft again._

 _"_ _We need to raise an army." Sophia stated with shocking conviction. Taking a double take, Sera's eyes narrowed. Had she heard that correctly? "An order of our own. If you're spying, you need someone to give the information to. With this order we'll avenge them. We will. We'll make them pay for what they've done."_

 _"_ _That we will." Sera smirked, recovering quickly. We…such a strange word, one she hadn't used since the death of her kin and yet surprisingly enough it fit._

Present day, Idris

"Damn." I hissed, wincing as I sliced my hand on the sharp metal of my blade. "Axel!" I bellowed.

"What is it baby sister?" He groaned, rubbing his head as he stepped through the doorway. "I know you're fine with waking up at the crack of dawn, but I'm really not."

"Then maybe you shouldn't have been at my weapons. Again." I sneered, waiting for him to process my words before he quickly paled.

"I haven't." He stammered.

"You're face betrays you big bro." My eyes narrowed. "As does the fact that you managed to damage their sheaths." I hissed. "Do you have any idea how difficult it was to get someone to make them? Do you? I had to search high and low for the right supplier, and even then it took them ages to get the measurements exact for both me and my blades." I usually wore two blades, both encased in delicate sheathes of metal designed in a cross. They were both attached to leather straps so I could wear them like a rucksack. Now my damned brother had managed to break it.

"Surely it can't be that difficult to find something Ayla." He groaned.

"These twin blades are unique, there is no standard sheath I can just buy at will that will simply fit." I hissed.

"Those twin blades are bloody death traps, let me tell you!" Axel moaned, still groggy. "Get another pair, a pair that doesn't have handles just as sharp as the edges to be specific. Do you know how many itrazes I had to apply to heal the cuts left indented by the metal?"

"So you do admit it then?" I smirked.

He winced. "Think of it as a favour, new blades won't permanently disfigure your hands."

"New blades won't have the right balance. These are perfect. Dual blades are traditionally a lot larger and not meant for someone as small as me. These are the perfect! Besides I love the handles." I spat.

"How can anyone love those handles?" He gaped.

"Because they remind you that these blades are no toys, remind you what life itself means, remind you of what you do when you take it. They make sure that when you kill, you kill with reason not mere bloodlust. When you kill and when you maim, you are also injuring yourself. It stops you from taking pleasure in such an act, stops you from doing such a thing without meaning. I will not use any blades but these." I glared. "You are taking me down to Diana's today, and you are paying for a replacement is that understood?"

"For heaven's sake, please don't tell me you're arguing again." Sophia groaned from the doorway. "What is it this time?"

"Ayla here refuses to get new blades. Hers badly need replacing." Axel smirked, sliding an arm around his fiancé.

"No, that isn't the problem. The problem is that my brother here has damaged their sheathes and is too cheap to replace them. My blades are perfectly fine." I stated.

"Your blades are mental Ayla; they damage anyone who uses them." Sophia shook her head, exasperated. "A simple healing rune doesn't even work."

"Don't exaggerate." I rolled my eyes. "You don't even need a rune; they heal fine on their own within a few hours. It's part of their imbued properties."

"Oh really?" She arched a brow. "I've had bandages on my hands for several days after merely picking one up, and that's with several high-powered healing runes."

I smirked. "You do know using any form of healing rune, only worsens the wounds, right? It's one of the reasons that these blades are so deadly, particularly against shadowhunters who are coated with runes. The power of the blade will heal it on its own."

"You've said this before, and yet when I tried that last time, it turned out to be complete bullcrap." Sophia stated bluntly.

I shrugged. "Maybe they need a specific wielder."

"Yes one who's completely insane." Axel rolled his eyes. "It'll explain why Hade always favoured a sword that had the same handle design. You both were a pair of nut jobs."

"We just held sight of our battles, and our reasoning." I retorted. "You do know that these belonged to our great aunt right? Are you calling her a nut job?"

"Everyone in our family is a nut job sis, it's hardly surprising. She was the one who married a Morgenstern if I remember." Axel mused.

"Are you insulting my namesake?" I hissed.

"You hate that name sis. It's why you go by Ayla." He snorted.

"You-"

"Will you both calm down?" Soph sighed. "Ayla your blades are a pair of death traps."

"If they're a death trap why on earth did big bro over here borrow them and succeed in damaging their sheathes? The very thing that prevents them from harming anyone else? If the pair of you are as concerned as you sound Soph then you won't have any qualms about getting new sheathes then should you?" I smirked. "It is hardly my fault that you both keep borrowing them and both keep getting injured; you would have thought your own common sense would have prevailed by now."

"Because they must be the sharpest blades in existence! They slice through bone like butter! They make killing demons far easier." Axel explained.

"Which is exactly why their handles are designed to be as they are brother dear!" I huffed exasperated. "Weapons like these cannot go unchecked. When to kill is so quick and easy, the pain is necessary to remind you of what you do and what you hold in your hands. I'm not giving them up, and nor am I paying for what you broke. You are going to help me find a replacement today, and you dear brother will be paying the bill." I stated.

"She does have a point." Soph admitted reluctantly.

"Good, so that's settled then." I smirked.

"…Because Morgenstern means Morning star, they were each named for a different aspect of the star itself…This one hear is called Heosphoros, which means dawn-bringer, while the larger is called Phaesphorus, or light bringer. You have doubtless seen Phaesphous already, for Valentine Morgenstern carried it, and now his son carries it after him." The woman spoke, a passion alight in her voice as she spoke of the blades. A passion so newly lit that she hadn't noticed us walk through the door…nor had the couple in the shop either. I grinned.

"You know who we are." A boy stated, not phrased as a question but rather a definitive statement. I had to make a double take. Gods he was painful to look at almost. Golden hair, golden eyes… ridiculous. While I might have been cursed with ridiculously pale hair, if it'd been golden, I'd be permanently taking the dye to it. "You know who Clary is." Clary? Why did that name sound so familiar?

"What gave it away?" I smirked, making my presence known, causing the red head to jump. "Twin blades often have a certain song, a certain meaning behind them. A certain beauty is held through their kinship. Neither is truly strong without the other, but nor is it bent."

"You speak as if they are people." The girl noted, curiosity alight in her eyes.

I laughed. "Everything from the smallest piece of grass, to the strongest gale has an essence. Why would a blade be any different?" I asked.

"It's better just to nod and pretend she's making sense. It's far easier." Axel rolled his eyes, swiftly dodging the elbow he could see heading for his stomach. "My sister is just nuts."

"Says you." I rolled my eyes. "You're that girl who ran after Emma aren't you?" I smiled softly, realising where I'd seen her from. That's why she's so familiar! "Is she ok?"

"She'll be fine." She returned the smile, a glimmer of recognition meeting her eyes. "She's just angry at the clave. You're the woman who spoke out aren't you? You were amazing up there, I wish I'd have had your courage to go and do that." I shifted, slightly uncomfortable to the praise.

"You had the courage to go and comfort her." I grinned. "I just went and slapped the inquisitor."

She chuckled. "You did?"

"Ayla here is exceptionally violent." Axel grinned, ruffling my hair, again managing to dodge my oncoming foot as I tried to stamp on his toe. "Especially around authority figures."

"Only if they're speaking up their arse." I shrugged.

"Authority figures are always speaking up their arses little sis." Axel rolled his eyes.

"Whose fault it that?" I arched a brow, before turning back to the teen. "I'm Ayla and believe this tall oaf here is my brother Axel. Honestly, it's like a constant source of his amusement that a giant like him could have such a pixie of a sister. He has a theory that it's be because I was dropped in a vat of radioactive waste as a child and the perpetrator was too scared to tell our father. I personally believe it's because he was born near a nuclear reactor. It'd explain his weirdness." I smirked, dodging my brother's elbow.

"Clary." She grinned. "My boyfriend here is Jace." Clary and Jace. My eyes widened slightly, no wonder the names seemed so familiar. That's who the angel boy was; Jonathon Herondale, the child fed angel blood before birth. Now it makes sense! No wonder he looks like he was dipped in gold as a baby! Although if his ego is as large as rumour says it is its rather bizarre. Seriously who can be proud of looking like one of Stephanie Meyer's sparkling vamps? "Nice to meet you."

I returned the grin. "Good to meet you too. I must say I never thought I'd meet the famed mistress of runes."

She blinked, before chuckling. "Mistress of runes? That sounds so much better than what I'm normally called around here. Normally everyone goes on about my heritage, concerned I'm going to turn out like my family."

"Ignore the morons." I rolled my eyes. "Their problem is that simply they don't get out enough. Honestly these people don't even know Harry Potter! I mean who doesn't know Harry Potter!"

Her green irises widened. "Seriously?"

"You bet." Axel grimaced. "Ayla here is extremely annoying, you'll get used to it."

I laughed. "They don't even know who you know who is! Can you blame me? The amount of times I've slipped references in during council meetings without so much as a smirk is absolutely ridiculous! Anyway, what are you here for Clary?"

"A sword." She grinned. "You?"

"Because my ass of a brother has been using my weapons again and managed to break this, he's come to try and find a replacement." Annoyance oozed through my tone as I removed my broken weapon carrier from my bag like a baby bird. "Unfortunately, I had it custom made, so it probably won't be easy."

"Blame your blades not me." Axel argued.

"Oh what did they do? Gain freedom of movement and lash out?" Sarcasm flooded my voice.

"It was those damned handles." He groaned.

"I've had this since I was ten years of age and not once have I ever had a problem. Funny that isn't it?" I glared. "That blade." I gestured, looking at Clary's fascination with it. "Does it call to you?"

She shuddered. "It shouldn't. I've seen two men bear the larger version of that sword, and I hated them both."

"Shouldn't doesn't mean that it doesn't though, does it?" A small smile teased my lips. "Forgive me nosiness Diana but how exactly did you come to have this sword? I wasn't aware that Valentine would have given up a Morgenstern sword, he seemed far too proud."

"His wife sold it to my father who owned this shop before the uprising. It was hers; it should be Clary's now." She smirked, sharing a knowing look with me.

"What is symbolises though…there are no Morgensterns in this world dedicated to anything to evil." She winced.

"There's you." Jace said his expression unreadable.

"I couldn't afford it anyway." Clary shrugged it off. "That's gold, and back gold, and adamas. I don't have the money for that kind of weapon."

"I'll give it to you." The woman shrugged. "You're right that people hate the Morgensterns; they tell stories of how swords were created to contain deadly magic, to slay thousands at once. They're just stories, of course, no truth to them, but still-it's not the sort of item I could sell elsewhere. Or would necessarily want to. It should go to good hands. Besides I get the feeling that Ayla here would kill me if I didn't." She joked.

"Too right I would." I grinned.

"I don't want it." She whispered.

"If you flinch from it, you give it power over you." She stated. "Take it and cut your brother's throat with it and take back the honour of your blood." Wordlessly Clary picked it up, finding a perfect balance.

"A weapon is what you make it you know." I smiled softly.

"What do you-"

"By the angel! The London Institute's been attacked." My eyes widened, sharing a startled look with my brother.

"What?" Jace demanded.

"It's alright." She eased. "Apparently there's some kind of special protection laid on the Institute, something even the counsel didn't know about. There were some injuries, but no one was killed. Sebastian's forces were rebuffed. Unfortunately, none of the endarkened were captured or killed either." As she spoke I paled.

"I don't necessarily think that's the problem." I grimaced.

"What do mean?" Clary asked pale.

"Ayla relax." Axel eased. "Sebastian Morgenstern isn't Haden; he's not going to use this as a diversion." I grimaced at his words, shifting guiltily. Not Haden's tactics, these were my own. Or at least had been my idea. I'd mentioned it to Hade who'd of course spilled it to father. Why I'd even mentioned it to Hade when he'd always been such a daddy's boy I don't know...the only reason he'd ever questioned him was when he'd threatened me. He didn't even care when it came to himself. No matter how hard father whipped him, beat him, not once did his loyalty waver. I don't think Axe even realises how lucky he was to get out.

"Do you think I don't know he's not Haden?" I hissed. "That doesn't mean he won't be after the blood he failed to spill. He could easily attack elsewhere today to satisfy his blood lust, particularly when he has an army of roughly four hundred endarkened soldiers and he barely takes any on raids."

"What do you mean?" Jace asked, tilting his head.

"Blood war tactics." I winced. "Lose to create a diversion then lead a sneak attack. It was very successful. Too bad we don't know where his stronghold is or we could do something similar. We're playing far too defensive letting him fight us on his terms. Ignoring London, none of his attacks on the institutes have failed. While we are losing numbers, his grows. Letting him pick us off, only weakens us more. If we are to stand a chance, we need to be the ones to openly attack a stronghold of his. As it we're playing into his hands."

"Are you on the war counsel?" Jace blinked, asking sharply.

"No." I laughed.

"Why? Why are you even laughing about it?" He arched a brow. "You clearly know what you're talking about."

"Too much if you look at my bloodline Jace." I grimaced. "I've looked at this from the other side remember?"

"Exactly why you should be on the counsel." He argued. "You know how they think, how they'll approach this. That's a large advantage that we're wasting. Even from the way you're speaking now, it's rather hard to ignore the fact that you know war, that you know how to fight and what needs to be done."

"I've just spoken common sense, nothing special." I dismissed, speaking frankly. Literally all I'd done was state the obvious, hardly anything of merit or even note.

"True, but you've spoken more common sense in thirty seconds than half the counsel said in over two hours." Jace stated. "You do know war."

"War was her teacher; it was her childhood." Axel stated. "Perhaps she's had enough of war."

"Had enough? Given that we're currently at war, that's pretty tough. Your sister could help end this a lot sooner if she was contributing on the counsel." Jace argued.

"If she was contributing on the counsel, she'd be facing constant allegations against her because of her blood." Axel retorted. "All it would do would make them adamant not to follow her suggestions, no matter how logical they may…" I tuned out of Axel's arguing.

"It's very beautiful." Clary murmured softly, studying the delicate engravings etched into its metal. "Snowflakes…" Across the silver were snowflakes overlapping creating intricate groves across it. I've always thought it was ironic given my family's history. How is it that our symbol is one of purity when all we do it corrupt?

"Ironic no?" I murmured.

"What?" Clary blinked. "How so?"

"Our emblems are everything our families aren't." I let out a wry grin. "Stars are the light in the darkness, hope even in the bleakest of times. Snowflakes are symbols of purity, delicate and vulnerable with a strange kind of innocence. Seems our kindred has long since forgotten what they stand for. You should take it." I stated. "The blade I mean."

"Why? When my brother holds the other and he-"

"All the more reason too." I dismissed. "Don't let your brother and father ruin all your ancestors stood for, don't let their legacy be one of terror. Take it, and take back the honour of your blood. Think of all those people who died with the name Morgenstern, who died in order to protect. Don't let their memory be nothing more than death."

"Your family, what did they do?" Clary asked. "Everyone keeps mentioning you, mentioning your bloodline and yet I have no idea what you're supposed to have done."

"You don't know?" My eyes widened slightly.

"No. I was raised mundane remember?" She chuckled weakly.

"It doesn't matter." I winced. "I'd ask someone else if I were you, anyone else. Perhaps that'll give you a clearer view concerning their suspicion, their hatred. Then you can make up your own mind."

"Why does your sheath need to be so specialised?" Clary asked curiously, accepting my wish to move from the topic.

"Because my blades are." I grinned, shaking away the thoughts of my father.

"Specialised? As a torture instrument definitely." Axel grumbled. "Why you're so attached to them is beyond me." I just stuck out my tongue childishly.

"Do you have the blades with you?" Diana asked. "While this has clearly been custom made, we need to make sure the new one is the perfect fit."

"Yep." I opened my rucksack, carefully easing the fabric wrapped weapons out. "I'd be careful with the handles. They can be a little temperamental so I'm told." I smirked, sending my brother a look. Cautiously she unrolled the fabric.

"Ignis and glasique." She breathed awed. "My grandmother spoke of these, spoke of the great Seraphina's conquest with them in a daze. I'd never thought I'd get to see them. Legend says they slice through skin and bone like butter, hence the specialised handles to prevent their wielders being caught up in an addiction of death and blood. They're beautiful blades. Just look at the craftsmanship." She whispered.

"The great Seraphina?" Clary asked softly to leaning into her boyfriend.

"Your grandmother, she led the war against the Winterfloods in her day. See? Your bloodline has had heroes; they've merely been forgotten in the bloodshed. What are you doing with Morgenstern blades?" Jace's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Her maiden name was Winterflood you know, something the history books left out. When she defeated James Winterflood, when she pierced his heart, she was killing her father. She was spilling her own blood. For better or for worse, our blood isn't thicker than water. Take that as you will. " I smirked. "They're Winterflood blades first and foremost right Diana?"

"Ayla's right. I am surprised they went to her though." Diana blinked. "She'd always wanted them to go to her first granddaughter."

"I don't know." I shrugged. "Father always said that she'd have wanted me to have them, always speaking in distain when he mentioned it. If what you say is true, I have absolutely no idea why they went to me."

"You definitely look like her." Diana murmured, eyeing me curiously.

"All Winterfloods have red eyes through ritual, that was hardly up for debate." I dismissed, far too used to my father referencing the similarity.

"No." She stated. "Not the eyes. Your height, the heart shaped face, your elfin features…The only difference is your hair. Her hair was as black as raven wings, which is rather typical through your line. It's strange. I haven't seen a case where one of the direct Winterflood line was born with hair any other colour than ebony." Curiosity sparked through her eyes, lighting them with a strange glint. "Who was your mother?"

"I don't know." I winced. "Not even my brothers know, well knew in Hade's case. Apparently my darling father accidently knocked some random girl up and low and behold was me. He came back with me after returning from a business venture, no one even knew I existed till that point." I doubt my mother even cared, if she did she would have fought for me.

"How peculiar…" Her head tilted.

"It is." I couldn't help but shift, uncomfortable in her gaze. "Do you think you can replace it?" I nodded, motioning to the sheath.

She blinked, breaking out of her trancelike expression. "Yes, but it'll take time, and it'll be costly."

"Oh trust me." I grinned. "Cost is no issue is it big brother?" Axe shot me a glare.


End file.
